Self-lighting cigarette



Sept. 20, 1966 c. DI CARLO, JR 3,273,563

SELF-LIGHTING CIGARETTE Filed Aug. 4, 1965 FIGS III I WH E WM Q I i i I l INVENTOR STR IK\NG FILTER I TIP CANIQ, DI CARL 0,JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,273,568 SELF-LIGHTING CIGARETTE Canio Di Carlo, Jr., 159 Claremont Ave Montclair, NJ. Filed Aug. 4, 1965, Scr. No. 477,109 5 Claims. (Cl. 131-7) This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in cigarettes having a tip portion which is readily ignited by frictional contact with a complementary striking surface without the use of matches or any of the conventional lighting devices. The invention also relates to cigars and other smoking products.

It is well known in the art to provide a readily ignitable composition as a tip attached to cigarettes. The advantages of such a so-called self-ignitable cigarette have long been recognized in that they eliminate the necessity of using the conventional means for lighting cigarettes. However, in a number of the so-called self-igniting cigarettes the ignitable composition is so positioned with respect to the tobacco filler of the cigarette that upon ignition of the ignitable composition, objectionable fumes are given off which are inhaled by the smoker and deleteriously affect the taste or pleasure derived by the smoker.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an easily ignitable composition so positioned with respect to the tobacco filler that the fumes given off during the burning of the ignitable composition cannot be readily inhaled by the smoker.

A further object of this invention is to provide an ignitable composition which can be economically and readily applied to the top portion of the cigarette.

A further object of this invention is to provide a socalled self-ignitable cigarette which is easily ignited.

A further object of this invention is to provide a selfignitable cigarette in which the readily ignitable composition is not in direct contact with the cigarette filler.

A further object of this invention is to provide a socalled self-ignitable cigarette whereby the ignitable composition burns in such a manner as to insure an even light or ignition of the cigarette.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette of the so-called self-igniting type which is applicable to both filter and nonfilter cigarettes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette of the so called self-igniting type which readily adapts itself to being packaged in the conventional cigarette package and requires no redesigning thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette having a readily ignitable tip portion whereby the active flammable portion thereof is completely exposed so as to facilitate ignition thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette having a readily ignitable tip portion which can be easily attached to the ordinary cigarette without modifying the existing machinery for making cigarettes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette having a readily ignitable tip portion which is easily packaged within the usual containers used for cigarettes without altering the shape or size thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a readily ignitable cigarette with a tip portion having a plurality of holes to insure rapid and complete combustion thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette having a readily ignitable tip portion which is not in contact with the tobacco filler in the cigarette.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette having a readily ignitable tip portion wherein the overall length and size of the cigarette are not changed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette having a readily ignitable tip portion so constructed as to minimize the amount of objectionable combustion odors to be inhaled by the smoker thereof.

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A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette having a readily ignitable tip portion, which readily blends into the overall shape of the customary cigarette so as not to require any special packaging.

A further object of this invention is to provide a readily ignitable tip portion for a cigarette in which the tip portion can be colored so as to enhance the appearance of the cigarette itself.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the novel end member as employed with the conventional cigarette;

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIGURE 1 except the end member overlaps in part the cigarette wrapper;

FIGURE 3 is similar to FIGURE 1 except the end member underlaps in part the cigarette wrapper;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic presentation of the relative lengths of the novel striking tip or end member, tobacco filler and filter;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view partly in section of a cigarette package with striking surface and containing cigarettes of the type disclosed; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which a cigarette of the present invention is ignited.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a cigarette, which may be of the round or oval type, having the usual cigarette wrapper 2 and tobacco filler 3. A round or oval paper member 4, which is integral and continuous with the wrapper, is provided in one end of the cigarette. Adjacent one end of member '4 is a zone or band 5 of readily ignitable material and formed of a compound such as that used in the well known safety match and which is ignitable by friction. The paper bands or zones 6 and 7 on each side of band 5 are free of the readily ignitable chemical compound.

Member 4 is ordinarily made of paper which is heavier and stiffer than the conventional wrapper 2 used for the cigarette whereby insuring that the cigarette will maintain its shape during packaging (sec FIGURE 5).

In FIGURE 2 the paper member 4 is shown as a separate member slightly overlapping the wrapper 2.

In FIGURE 3 the paper member 4" is shown as a separate member slightly underlapping the wrapper 2".

The modifications shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 contemplate the use of an adhesive, such as dextrin, which will not have an objectionable odor or taste when burned, for connecting the paper members 4' or 4" to their respective wrappers 2' and 2". In each instance the paper members 4' and 4" are made of a paper heavier than the cigarette wrapper so that the recessed end containing the readily ignitable material will resist bending and crushing.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a suitable length for the recessed member 4 in terms of the overall length of the cigarette. In this connection it will be noted that about of the cigarette filler is taken up by the ignitable tip. This would represent a saving in cigarette tobacco of about two cigarettes in each package which would compensate for the cost of making and attaching of the igniting member 4.

To light the cigarette, one merely draws the member 4 across a striking surface 11 which is provided on the cigarette package P shown in FIGURE 6. The surface 11 is similar to the striking surface found on the side of a conventional safety match box and usually contains a phosphorus compound as is well known in the making of safety matches. With the present arrangement the band 5 and member 4 ignite when member 4 is drawn across the striking surface, which action causes the paper in zones 6 and 7 to burst into flame thereby igniting the end of the cigarette. Since the ignitable band 5 is quickly consumed and the end of the cigarette is actually ignited by the burning paper of zones 6 and 7, a minimum of the objectionable products of combustion of zone can permeate the tobacco filler and be inhaled by the smoker. It will be evident that the present arrangement is very simple with respect to the manner in which it minimizes the inhalation of the objectionable products of combustion in the igniter band 5 and avoids the use of cumbersome filter discs which have been devised to prevent the noxious fumes of the igniter material to permeate the tobacco filler as taught, for example, by US. Patent No. 1,835,928 to Boillot.

Of course, if desired, the readily ignitable composition used in zone 5 can consist of other ignitable compositions used in conjunction with a phosphorus containing striking surface such as shown by US. Patent No. 3,046,- 995 to Christy.

In a preferred construction of the novel cigarette of the present invention, it has been found that by providing a plurality of openings in zone 7 a more active burning of the tip portion 4 takes place so as to insure the positive ignition of the tobacco. In addition, the presence of the openings 8 precludes the formation of projecting ragged portions of end member 4 due to the incomplete burning thereof. It has also been noted that if the ignitable band 5 is deposited in a broken line arrangement as shown in FIGURE 3, there is less likelihood of the band 5 cracking or flaking off particularly during the wrapping and attaching of the circular ignitable band 5 to the end of the cigarette. The cracking of the ignitable band 5 is objectionable from an appearance standpoint while the flaking off may become so appreciable as to reduce the amount of available ignitable compound so as to prevent igniting of the cigarette in the manner shown by FIG- URE 6 and as described above.

From the above description it will be apparent that various modifications can be made by those familiar with the art without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. For example, the readily ignitable band 5 may be colored so as to impart a design whereby the ignition end and the filter end can be readily distinguished from each other. It will also be apparent that the striking surface 11 may be attached to the front or rear face or any one of the side edges of the cigarette package P.

While various specific embodiments of the invention have been described, it is intended to secure by these Letters Patent all embodiments that are within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a cigarette having a cigarette wrapper, a tobacco filler only within said wrapper and an igniter disposed at one end of said wrapper, said igniter comprising a hollow member of the same sectional configuration as the cigarette wrapper and extending beyond said tobacco filler and wrapper, said member comprising an outermost zone of paper, a median zone of paper impregnated with an ignitable compound, and an innermost zone of paper adjacent to said wrapper and filler, all of the ignitable compound being spaced from the outer end of said tobacco filler and wrapper.

2. The cigarette of claim 1 wherein said inner zone is provided with a plurality of holes to insure complete combustion of the hollow member and ignition of the tobacco filler.

3. The cigarette of claim 2 wherein the ignitable compound is disposed in a continuous unbroken circular zone.

4. The cigarette of claim 2 wherein the ignitable compound is disposed in a disconnected and broken circular zone to minimize cracking and flaking olf of the compound.

5, The cigarette of claim 4 wherein said innermost and outermost zones are free of the ignitable compound.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 869,361 10/1907 Graves 131-7 X 922,481 5/ 1909 Hutchinson 1317 1,512,241 10/1924 Schaefer 131-7 1,815,162 7/1931 Parsons 13l7 X 1,884,806 10/1932 Morris 131-7 2,080,536 5/1937 Durden 131-7 X 2,874,700 2/1959 Kahler 1317 FOREIGN PATENTS 356,861 9/1931 Great Britain. 218,884 6/ 1942 Switzerland.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

H. P. DEELEY, ]R., Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CIGARETTE HAVING A CIGARETTE WRAPPER, A TOBACCO FILLER ONLY WITHIN SAID WRAPPER AND AN IGNITER DISPOSED AT ONE END OF SAID WRAPPER, SAID IGNITER COMPRISING A HOLLOW MEMBER OF THE SAME SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION AS THE CIGARETTE WRAPPER AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID TOBACCO FILLER AND WRAPPER, SAID MEMBER COMPRISING AN OUTERMOST ZONE OF PAPER, A MEDIUM ZONE OF PAPER IMPREGNATED WITH AN IGNITABLE COMPOUND, AND AN INNERMOST ZONE OF PAPER ADJACENT TO SAID WRAPPER AND FILLER, ALL OF THE IGNITABLE COMPOUND BEING SPACED FROM THE OUTER END OF SAID TOBACCO FILLER AND WRAPPER. 